How to save a life
by cersei01
Summary: Cat comes from an other world. She travels through universes to try and find a way to cure the disease affecting her family. She lands in HP's world, and is offered a place in Hogwarts where she will meet a certain dark-haired, evil-to-be wizard...
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, so this is my first fanfic, I take criticism rather well, but please no flames! And English is not my mother tong, but I tried to write as well as I could.**

**Small summary: basically a Tom Riddle/OC fanfic, but I'll spend a lot of time on my other character. Her background is quite crucial to the story so I'll introduce it step by step.**

**It's happening during Riddle's 7****th**** year; he has already killed with the basilisk and murdered his father and grand-parents, so he's pretty deep in it…**

**Only Cat and little Keikoku belong to me!**

**DUMBLEDORE'S POV**

Rubbing the bridge of his nose where the glasses had left a mark, Dumbledore was pacing back and forth in Headmaster Dippet's office. The day had had been a long one, a very long one indeed, with the news that Grindelwald's Inferi Army was growing. 'Well, no wonder there, with all the victims of the war', Dumbledore thought, sickened by the very idea of a hundred bloody corpses hiding somewhere in the darkness, waiting to be unleashed at the armed forces the Ministry had thrown in the war.

"Albus, would you please take a seat? You are giving me a headache" the tired voice of Armando Dippet came from a comfortable, yet simple looking arm chair. It was past midnight and both had been discussing ways of defeating the Inferi Army for hours, reaching no satisfying solution.

"As you wish, Armando" answered Dumbledore. As he was about to take his seat though, he noticed something from the corner of his eyes. Feeling a change in the atmosphere, he turned his head to the right, and sure enough, he could see the air faltering just like it usually did above flames. Frowning, he kept his eyes fixed on the spot. That is, before a blinding flash of light forced him to close and shield them with his hand (hey! his blue eyes were extremely sensitive and he didn't want to worsen his already bad eyesight!). He reopened them only to find that he was looking at two strangers. One was a girl in her late teens, the other one a boy no older than 10. The girl had an arm around the boy's shoulders and was holding him tightly as if to protect him from harm. Both were wearing long, dark cloaks that covered them from neck to foot, hiding their clothes and body shapes.

She stared back at Dumbledore, who started wondering whether tiredness was taking its toll at last after sleepless days, but his thoughts were interrupted by Dippet's short comment.

"Merlin's beard…" His voice trailed off as he too stared at the strange pair, disbelief obviously showing on his face. The silence went on. And then, the girl hesitantly spoke.

**CATTLEYA'S POV**

Cat hated the moment she actually apparated to a new place. It was always the same, people staring and staring and _staring _at her and her brother, not daring to utter a word, wondering whether their senses were failing them. Well, she thought to herself fairly, she would do the same if people suddenly appeared right in front of her, where there had been nothing but air seconds before… but still, she hated the awkward feeling. This time, she was standing in front of two men, one standing only a few feet away from her, the other one seated behind what was probably the largest desk she had ever seen… She felt a jolt in her stomach. Had she managed to apparate in another universe this time? Or was it still her old world? She had seen many, many different places, but everything about this one was odd to her: the men, their clothes (not once before had she met men who were actually wearing robes!), the furniture, the room, even the _feel _of the atmosphere…

She tightened her hold on her younger brother, not knowing whether to expect a violent reaction from them. Well, no one had ever really_ attacked_ her, but some, after having overcome the shock, had shouted madly at her, pointing at her face, and then ran away as if chased by all the demons of hell, which she found utterly distressing and a tad bit frustrating. Others had simply fainted at the sight of her appearing out of thin air, which was hardly better.

However, as the two men did not react _at all_, she felt compelled to break the heavy silence.

"Ummm… hello?" she tried hesitantly. _Wow Cat, that sure was an awkward one_, she thought to herself cynically, and yet she could find nothing else to say. How was she supposed to explain? Where was she supposed to start? Could she even trust those men with the truth?

"Hello dear", a voice interrupted her musing. The voice was pleasant and reassuring, and she realized that the standing man was smiling at her, looking at her from over his half-moon shaped glasses in a kindly way. "Would you like to be seated?"

She liked him, she decided. The man might look like a fool with his robes, long hair and beard, but there was something about his aura that would make people respect him. Cat had always been very good at reading people's aura, and the power that radiated from him was, although impressive, far from aggressive. He reminded her of her father, probably the most powerful man she had ever met, and yet always so kind and careful… As the image of her smiling father popped in her mind, she felt a pang in her stomach. She hadn't seen him for years and wondered whether he was alright. He had been extremely ill when she had left her family to fulfill her destiny… _Now is not the moment to think about it Cat. Definitely not_, she chided herself.

"Thank you very much" she answered, bowing slightly to the man in acknowledgement. Cat watched in amusement as he waved the small stick of wood he was holding in his right hand, only to jump as two chairs were conjured in front of her.

"Surely magic is not unknown to you, now, is it?" she heard the curiosity in the man's voice.

"Excuse me sir, it is quite hard to explain. I have seen magic, as you call it, performed before, and have performed it myself, but it was a different kind of magic… in a different place" she finished, as she took the seat, half forcing her brother to do the same, hoping the man would somehow understand the last part of her sentence. Well, not many knew of alternate universes, but he seemed to be so knowledgeable…

"Would I be wrong in assuming that you and the young man are from a… how to put it… different…aham…world"?

_Gods exist and have heard my plea._

"No, you would not" Cat felt tremendously relieved that she would not, at least, have to explain about the existence of parallel worlds.

"By the way, my name is Albus Dumbledore, and this is Armando Dippet" He outstretched his hand to her. She sat there, not knowing what to do with it, eying him with uncertainty. The wizard chuckled: "In this world, we shake hands to greet each other."

"In mine, we bow to each other to show our mutual respect. My name is Mibu Cattleya, and this is my brother Keikoku. It is an honor to meet you Mr Dumbledore". She took his hand and bent her back over their enter twined hands. "And Mr Dippet" she continued as she turned to the seated man, still bowing.

Both looked extremely amused. She knew it must seem weird to them, having people bow to them when it was not their custom. But her parents had always been very strict about her showing as much respect as possible to anyone she met, especially when they were older. Respect, they always said, is the first step to understanding. Words which had, on many occasions, been proved right.

**ARMANDO DIPPET'S POV**

Hogwarts' headmaster was not a man who easily lost his composure. However, he had found himself dumbfounded as the pair appeared, not managing to utter a single word even as Dumbledore had been so quick to react. But then, Dumbledore was _always_ quick to react. As his transfiguration teacher was enjoying his little chat, he could not help but study them.

The girl had long, wavy black hair. They were parted on the right side of her head, falling in uneven locks around her face and down her shoulders. Her eyes too were black, and were currently sporting a very serious look. She had noble features, and although he would not have called her strikingly beautiful, there was something in the expression on her face, in the way she held her back in a straight yet relaxed fashion, that commanded respect, something he had scarcely ever seen in a teenager. He was not easily impressed by youngsters, having taught too many of them, but obviously the girl was not the average teen.

As he turned his attention to the brother, he could not help but shiver. Where the girl clearly emitted a peaceful and extremely pure aura, the boy seemed to burn from the inside. From what, the headmaster could not tell, but when his eyes met those of the boy, he was quite startled to see that they were blood red. He quickly looked away, uneasy, but could still feel the boy's intense stare on his face.

**DUMBLEDORE'S POV**

"Sir, please, it is late and our tale is a long one to tell. Would you offer us a place to stay for the night?" Once again, the seriousness of her tone, and the politeness of the voice struck him. The girl was way too mature for her age, he could not help but wonder what she had gone through. Glancing sideways to the boy, he realized that she had probably been looking over him on her own for a while. Where were the parents? Which universe did she come from? He had many questions on his head, but understood the girl's reasonable request.

"But of course my dear. For tonight, and for every night that you shall spend in this world, have no worries" he answered, and he lead the children of the office without so much as a word to Armando. As he made his way to the infirmary, he studied both of them silently. The girl seemed to pay attention to every little detail she saw, while the boy's stare was fixe ahead and never faltered. He felt his curiosity as to their story growing. Well, he would just have to be patient.

**This story can be seen as a crossover between HP and the manga Samurai Deeper Kyo. Cat and Keikoku come from Kyo's world, they came looking for a cure to the disease that is affecting the Mibu clan, but we'll learn more in the next chapters. **

**No worries, having read the manga is not necessary!**

**Cat is Sakuya's and Kyoshiro's daughter, Keikoku is NOT the one of the manga, I created him, and it is actually Onime no Kyo that inspired its' character.**

**No other character from the manga will be involved, although Cat might mention some of them!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So, Cat has two kind of magic. I use two terms for it:**

**-her "powers", inherited from her universe and which she controls perfectly**

**-"magic" properly speaking, from HP universe, which she will learn in Hogwarts!**

**And before you read, when you put "-san" after a name in Japanese, it means Mr or Mrs. Since Cat comes from a world similar to feudal Japan, she uses the terms to speak of her family.**

**CATTLEYA'S POV**

Cat was standing in front of the bar, holding Keikoku's hand in hers. "The Leaky Cauldron" said the sign. _So, here we are._

It had been decided that Cat and Keikoku would spend the summer with Professor Dumbledore. After the night they had appeared in the headmaster's office, Cat had told both men about her story.

They had been extremely impressed by Cat's description of her world and family. Indeed, although some people had abilities different to that of a normal human being, it was very different from what was called "magic" in the world she was currently in.

In her world, there were two kinds of populations.

The first one were normal people, they were very close to what Dumbledore had called "Muggles": human beings with no special ability. They were an enormous majority.

Then, there were the Chaman. Every Chaman had a power specific to them: her mother's was to see the future in the sky, her uncle had been able to know someone's past just by touching them, she had heard of Chaman that could make flowers out of rocks… It was not an ability passed down from generation to generation but a trait that randomly emerged in some people; therefore it did not exactly count as magic.

And then there was her clan. The Mibu. An ancient family, that had powers neither normal humans nor Chaman had, but not really a population either. They had kept to themselves and had remained hidden in the heart of a forest, for humans and Chamans feared and hated them. Cat had told them about the disease that had started affecting her whole clan a generation before she was born and was quickly spreading. Her mother, the clan's Seer, had foretold that Cat was the only one who could find a way to cure the disease, and Cat had left the clan, searching for places and families known for their knowledge in medicine. She had known of her ability to travel through space since childhood, and her father had explained her that other universes existed, therefore, after 4 years of fruitless research in her own world, she had decided to try her luck in another universe.

Cat sighed. Truth be told, she had withheld some piece of information. She had not told them about how developed her clan's powers were. Moreover, she had passed quickly on how she had met Keikoku "on the way" and decided to take him along as her little brother. She glanced at the boy and smiled to herself. She had been taking care of him for the last 3 years, he had accompanied her in all her travels and she was very fond of him. Most people were afraid of his red eyes, and of the aura he emitted, but Cat knew better. She knew just how cruel the world could be to those who were different, and she didn't mind the fact that he was not exactly the bubbly-wobbly, happy-go-lucky kind of child that adults loved. He had his own ways to show her he cared, and that was enough to her.

"Kei, we're supposed to go in there and ask for the barman. Ah! Wait, what was his name again?" Cat smacked herself mentally for her lack of memory whenever it came to names. "Mmm, it was a short name… Wait… I know… Awwwww I'm so frustrated" She took her head in her hands and started shaking it frantically

"Tom" her brother replied in a quiet tone. Cat beamed at him "Kei, you're a genius" she knelt and pulled her brother in a hug with a rather goofy smile on her face.

"You're the one who's stupid. And get off me, girl" the boy answered.

"Don't call your beloved older sister girl, you ungrateful little demon!" she exclaimed, only to tighten her hold on him and plant a firm kiss on his cheek, which he took with a rather bored look.

"… Whatever"

"Hey! Don't whatever me!" she was standing again, waving a menacing finger at him.

Keikoku stared back, turned away, and entered the bar

"Hey! Don't ignore me either! Kei! Yo! Keikoku! COME BACK AT THIS INSTANT! GAAAAAAA"she followed him inside.

And with that, they entered Diagon Alley to by the wand she needed.

**DUMBLEDORE'S POV**

Dumbledore was preparing his lessons for the year that was about to start at Hogwarts. He paused in his work to consider the two kids he was taking care of during the summer. After Miss Mibu had told him about her reasons for travelling to this world, he had had a small discussion with Armando.

FLASHBACK

"- Armando, it is obvious that the girl has not only inherited her family's own power. Magic is running in her veins. You can feel it too, can't you?

- And what exactly are you implying Albus? That we should take her into Hogwarts and teach her our ways? The headmaster clearly viewed this suggestion as ludicrous

-…

-Oh, no no no Albus, I know that look, really! The girl is _seventeen_, for Merlin's sake, and she doesn't even know the _basics_ of magic.

- Well, I will teach her whatever I can during the summer, and then we can see in September in which year we should put her. She certainly looks clever enough to make it to a 4th year.

- A _fourth _year? In _two_ months? Please Albus, you obviously overestimate the girl…

- Either that, or you underestimate her Armando.

After a small staring match:

-Fine. You do what you want, as usual. But Albus, the war is going on, how will you teach her?

- I will find a way."

END OF FLASHBACK

And so Dumbledore had taken both children in for the summer, providing the older one with all the books of the 7 years at Hogwarts. He had seen work over them and study about 15 hours a day. She had spent the rest of her time with her brother. The bond between them was clearly strong. Most of the time, they would only lay outside on the grass or sit in the same room, each one reading a book, but Albus knew that real care did pass through actions and not through useless babbling. He chuckled at the memory of his argument with the girl.

FLASHBACK

"-Miss Mibu, could I have a word with you? He had asked her two days after her arrival. Mr Dippet and myself have recognized the unmistakable mark of magic in you. We have decided to offer you a place in Hogwarts, the witch and wizard academy.

- What about Keikoku? She had asked at once

- I will see that he is taken care of.

- Then my answer is no, she had replied flatly.

Dumbledore certainly had not expected that. Quickly regaining his composure, he asked:

-May I know why?

- Sir, please. Because my brother has red eyes, because he is not the talkative child, because he never displays emotions, people call him a little demon and throw stones at him at worst, or try to avoid him at best. I will not have my brother taken care of by someone who thinks he is a freak, she answered calmly. Dumbledore could not help but admire the girl. She had not raised her voice once, her body was very still, yet she had looked quite…powerful at that instant. He could not help but think that she had the fabric to be a leader.

- Miss Mibu, I can assure you that I will find the adequate person for the job. And if you are to find a way to cure your family, what better way is there but to learn magic? He saw her falter at that argument

-…

- Miss Mibu, you need to make a decision right now. Forgive me for my bluntness but you are very, very late by our standards and have a lot to catch up. The girl actually smiled,

- I understand Sir. I appreciate your honesty. Fine then, let me talk to him. And I will catch up all right."

END OF FLASHBACK

And catch up she had. It was obvious that she loved to learn. She had gotten all her potions from 1st to 6th year perfectly on the first attempt. She had mastered charms, transfiguration and DADA until 4th grade impressively quickly too. She was currently working on 5th and 6th grade level spells. Her problem was with transfiguration, and see as he was the transfiguration teacher, he had helped her alright.

FLASHBACK

"- Well, I certainly am most impressed at your catching up Miss Mibu!

She had beamed at that comment:

- Well, I have always loved learning. I would spend hours a day reading my clan's archives on my own, and I quite a lot of teachers willing to help… Yuan-san taught me how to master fire and Shinrei-san how to master water… Father taught me how to master the wind…Akari-san introduced me to the art of healing….

- You must miss them all, Dumbledore interrupted her tactfully, hearing her voice falter.

The girl kept her head bent for a few seconds, but when she held it up, her eyes were dry

- I do miss them, I think about them every day and they keep me strong. All that matters is that I find a cure for the illness so we can all have fun together like with used to."

She had that serene smile on her face and her gaze was full of that patient, everlasting determination he had so rarely seen even adults. Truly, he admired the girl's strength more and more by the day.

END OF FLASHBACK

Once again, Dumbledore marveled at the kind of power she had mastered in her world. She had demonstrated a few for him. Every time she had, he had felt her aura, bathing everything around her in a light, warm breeze… Her control over her powers was amazing. She could control fire, water and the wind without a wand.

But she needed one to do magic, and honestly speaking, he had been quite relieved to see that. He remembered when he had offered to go to Diagon Alley to get one with her. She had politely declined, saying she and her brother were used to doing things on their own. Her answer was so similar from the one he had gotten from a certain orphan a few years before and yet so different, for he could clearly tell that, where Tom Riddle did not want _to be bothered by_ Dumbledore, the girl's first concern seemed be _not to bother_ Dumbledore any more than she did – or thought she did, really.

He had told her about the war going on, and she had proposed her help to cure the wounded. After all, this was what her family was specialized in. He had declined her offer, only to be treated like a child "Professor, I know you believe a seventeen years old girl should not see the horrors of war, but those I have already seen during my journey. If it is my ability to cure wounds that even your most gifted healers could not cure, I suggest you let me have a try, for you do not the knowledge my clan has gathered. Maybe, what your magic cannot fight back, mine can. Do not let people die on prejudices, Professor." She had told him with that calm tone he had learned to recognize as her greatest strength of persuasion.

And he had let her try. He had suggested she tried to cure a wound that had been inflicted on an auror by one of Grindelwald's werewolf followers. As he was not in his wolf form, the bite had not contaminated him, but he had been a bit… funny ever since. She had simply taken out a bit of parchment, traced characters he could not read on it with her blood (he had winced at that) and muttered unintelligible words for about 20 minutes. The man's wound had become surrounded by a shield of light that had an orange tingle to it, and emitted the exact same feeling as the girl's aura. The wound had started oozing a black, thick fluid, but at the contact of the air, the fluid would immediately evaporate from the skin and appear on the parchment, as if the orange shield of light was acting as a connection between the wound and parchment. It then blend with the blood. As soon as the dark fluid had stopped oozing, she had conjured up a flame und burnt the parchment down to ashes. The light shield had remained in place however and bits of flesh seemed to form in it, only to knit themselves on the auror's scar. This only took a few minutes. When she finally retrieved the light shield, the auror's arm where he had been bitten did not show the slightest sign of ever having been harmed.

- Done! She had exclaimed. It's as if you had never been bitten, trust my word, she beamed at the auror, who had thanked her profusely, while glancing at Dumbledore as if to ask who the girl was.

On their way back, neither had spoken.

"- You know Professor, if you asked me how it worked, I would be happy to tell you.

She smiled that serene smile at him. He simply beamed back at her:

- I would certainly be interested to hear that.

- Well, the characters I write on the parchment act like what you call a spell. It transforms the remains of the curse in this dark, corrosive fluid that you have seen. The light shield drains it from the body and transfers it immediately to the parchment, where the blood and the curse fight. If the blood is stronger, then it absorbs the dark curse. The flames purify the –blending should I say? Anyways, after that, well it is just as simple as treating a normal wound.

- Does it work with anyone's blood?

The girl paused to ponder.

- I believe not. It is my family that invented this, and I think only the blood of a Mibu will do the trick."

Dumbledore wondered whether she would be able to use the same technique on a full werewolf… He would need to find out.


	3. Going to Hogwarts

**CATTLEYA'S POV**

Cat was simply excited. She was standing on Platform 9 3/4 with Keikoku, ready to board the train. Mrs Bones, who had kindly agreed to take care of Keikoku while Cat was at school stood beside them so as to leave them space.

"- Hey, Kei, promise you'll be good with Mrs Bones. She looks really decent you know?

-…

- I'll take it as a yes then. And don't cry while I'm away! Men don't cry you, know that.

-…

- Mrs Bones said that she will bring you to Hogsmeade every time a day there is planned, so that I can spend it with you.

-…

-Well then I guess I'd better get on the train, it's bound to leave in a minute now. "

Cat did not mind her brother's attitude in the slightest. He was just weird that way, but she had seen how fiercely protective of her he could be at times. Remembering the time he had nearly bitten the finger off of a guy who had tried hitting on her a bit too much, she smiled. She knelt by his side and hugged him. Not expecting him to return the hug, she started getting up, but then she felt something wet on her neck as he put his small arms around her.

"Stupid little brother, she whispered to his ear so that none but him could hear, that's why I told you not to cry."

But truth, was, she was not far from crying herself. He had been travelling with her almost since she had left her family, they had stuck together 24/24 and it would be the first time in 3 years they would be separated.

She found an empty compartment for herself, went to the window to wave Keikoku goodbye one last time, and the train departed.

_AAAhhhhh this is so cool. I wonder how the other kids will be._

At home, Cat had always been alone. The clan was rather big and there were some children her age, but never had she enjoyed the company of someone her age as much as her teachers' and parents'. She had started reading a book which title read "The lord of the ring" when the door of her compartment slid open.

"- Come on, this one's usually empty, a boy's voice came

- Charlus, really, I'd rather not… the girl answered

- Come on…

-Mmmm"

Cat watched as the boy crushed the girl to the door of the compartment and started kissing her.

"Charlus…stop…you're being a bad boy…No, let me go" she giggled, trying to wither away.

He held her arms as if to stop her from fighting him and pinned them to the door with force, leaning deeper in the kiss.

That was more than Cat could watch. She crossed the alley, seized the boy's right shoulder, and made him spin so that they were face to face.

"-HEY YOU! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? KISSING A GIRL AGAINST HER WILL! THAT'S SO FOUL!

Obviously, the boy had not expected to be interrupted, for he simply watched Cat, his jaw hanging slightly.

-Um… you know, it was not really against my will, surely you understand, the girl giggled again

- IT'S OK! NO NEED TO MAKE EXCUSES FOR THAT PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A MAN"

And with that she threw her fist at the boy's face, where it collided with a very unpleasant noise. So much for respect on a first encounter, really.

-And don't ever let me see you do that again

Cat shoved the boy out of her way and went to the girl. She seized both her shoulders and looked at her with concern obviously showing in her eyes.

-Hey, are you OK? Are you hurt?"

But before the girl could answer, the door slid open once more and a tall, young dark-haired boy entered the compartment.

-What's the matter here? A smooth voice called

-Nothing Riddle, the boy answered, everything's fine don't bother, Charlus quickly said, jumping to his feet.

- Yes everything's fine, that's why you're covered in blood I suppose? I recommend you to tell me the truth, he said sounding annoyed.

Charlus opend his mouth but was interrupted by an angry Cat:

- This boy here, Cat said pointing an accusing finger at Charlus, was trying to kiss this girl, she said pointing at the girl, against her will.

The dark haired boy raised an amused eyebrow at Charlus.

- Were you now, Potter?

Charlus opend his mouth but was interrupted by his confused girlfriend:

-I think this is all a big misunderstanding, really… Charlus wasn't doing anything against my will…

-SEE? He scared her so much that she does not dare speak the truth! Take that"

And she shoved her foot in his stomach. Charlus crumpled to the floor, a rather pained look on his face. Cat stormed out of the compartment. Meanwhile, Riddle was not taking keenly to be ignored and followed her out.

-Excuse me Miss…

Cat suddenly seemed to remember where she was. She bowed her head to the boy.

-Mi bu. Mibu Cattleya. I am deeply sorry for the commotion, sir. But I will not take such things lightly; she raised her head and looked the boy straight in the eyes

-It is not your place to do so. I hardly believe a punch in the nose and the stomach are appropriate…erm…punishment there. You should have called a prefect. Moreover, I believe you were mistaken to think -

But he was interrupted

-I can't believe it! Men are the same wherever you go, really! You're siding with him!

-Miss Mibu, do. NOT. Interrupt me. I am not siding with anyone; merely trying to tell you that muggle fighting will not be tolerated –

-Meaning if I had cursed him you would stop nagging me?

**TOM'S POV**

Tom was quietly walking down the train. Newly appointed Head Boy, he wanted to make sure everything was going smoothly before assembling the prefects. He liked to have things under control.

That's when he heard a girl shout. Heading to the compartment, he opened the door to see the 7th year Charlus Potter on the floor holding his apparently broken nose and the 6th year Adele Hook, looking completely bewildered while a girl was shaking her thoroughly.

-What's the matter here? He called, annoyed that things were going wrong so early. God, the Gryffondors, what a loud, trouble-seeking, useless lot, all of them.

- Nothing Riddle, everything's fine, don't bother.

The Potter boy had said, still holding his nose and jumping to his feet.

He then had to endure the unknown girl rambling about how Potter had aggressed Hook and when said girl had demented it, the girl had shouted something about intimidation, punched Potter in the guts and stormed out. Now, as much as he loved seeing Potter being brought to his knees by a girl, he could not let her walk out of the compartment without a proper explanation. Obviously, the girl did not who made the rules.

That was when the girl, Mibu she said she was called, had interrupted him, something he did not like. Not at all, really. AND she had accused him of siding with Potter. Of SIDING with _POTTER_!

-Miss Mibu, do. NOT. Interrupt me. I am not siding with anyone; merely trying to tell you that muggle fighting will not be tolerated –

-Meaning if I had cursed him you would stop nagging me?

He could see the angry sparks in her eyes. His narrowed.

-Miss Mibu, which house do you belong to? He asked calmly

-I'm new here; I have not been sorted yet. I hardly see where that comes in in the present case, she had said in a regal way, eying him as if from above when she clearly was much smaller.

Well, that explained that he had never seen her before. He smirked to himself. At first, people would always take him lightly, mistaking his politeness for weakness. But them, without even touching them, he could make them scared. Just by his tone and the look in his eyes, really. He didn't even need to threaten them, most of the time. He would need to take care of the girl. Corridor was empty, that was all good.

-Miss Mibu, he said in his coldest voice.

As he was saying the words, he walked slowly towards her, hands behind his back, his expression blank. He expected her to take steps back whenever his took step forth but she stood her ground. Very well, he decided. His eyes were fixed to hers, when he was a mere inches from her face, he whispered:

-Let. Me. tell you. how things work at Hogwarts.

**CATTLEYA S POV**

Cat watched as the boy approached. She was curious as why he was getting so close. But right now, it didn't matter. She was so angry!

- You don't understand! Oviously, she waved a finger at his now oh-so-close face, no one has EVER tried to kiss _you_ by force!

**TOM's POV**

Well, no indeed, no one had never… But that was not the point. He frowned. What exactly did she mean by that? He could not see sarcasm in her eyes, only anger. He shrugged. Obviously, she was one of those who believe in righteousness, roar at the slightest sight of "injustice" and nonsense like that… She was bound to be sorted in Gyffondor, he thought.

In the meantime, it annoyed him to have to deal with her when all he wanted was for things to go smoothly. By the look of it she was a filthy muggle born, she had not even taken out her wand to fight. He smirked. He could teach her not to waste his time anymore…

But then he heard footsteps and Potter was here again, this time followed by quite a lot of people.

-Hey, what's happening?

- I was just about to give Miss Mibu here a detention for attacking you, Potter. And now, everyone goes back to their compartment! he called, a little bit louder, yet not shouting. He did not need to shout to assert his authority on them. Everyone went back to their compartment at once. The Mibu girl shrugged and did the same. He scowled.

**CATTLEYAS POV**

Really, people were so _weird_. She sighed. She missed her world.

As she reentered her compartment, she saw the girl from before rushing at her.

- Umm… Could I ask you who you are?

- Mibu Cattleya. I am new here. I come from Japan. I am sorry for before, are you really OK?

-Mibu Cattleya? Do you actually say your last name before your first one when you introduce yourself? She chuckled

Arrrgh! Dumbledore had told her to do it the other way around! Why did she have to keep forgetting what he said?

- Well, I come from Japan. People introduce themselves that way…

-JAPAN! That's so cool! Much cooler than France or anywhere in Europe! But you don't look Japanese at all!

- I was born in a very old family, that, it is said, comes from Europe.

Cat hated to lie; She hated everything about it, the guilty feeling in her stomach, the need to memorize lies when truth just came out naturally, the innocent look on the other one's face. She especially hated to lie about her family, but that was necessary.

-I see! Well, I'm Adele, Adele Hook. Thanks for trying to protect me earlier, but really, Charlus and I are going out, I was just trying to spice up things a little, she finished, giggling and winking. Could you apologize to him please?

What was that supposed to mean? Was she pretending not to want to be kissed when really, she did? In her world, women had no rights. No one cared if one was taken against her will, no one cared if a man beat one half to death. During her journey she had seen many trying to resist when they could not, and Cat had always put an end to it when possible. It had really looked as if the boy had enjoyed the act, the power he was having on the girl, and she would NOT forgive him that.

She turned to find herself face to face to said boy.

-Hey… Look, I'm really sorry about the misunderstanding. It was just a little game.

-Miss Hook already told me. I apologize for hitting you for no reason.

She breathed in heavily and bent her back slowly until she could not see his face anymore.

-Please, accept the apology.

_Yes, please accept, or I'm screwed._

**CHARLUS POV**

Wow the girl was weird.

First, when he had thought the compartment empty, she had practically accused him of rape. God, that so disgusted him. He did enjoy the game he was playing with Adele, but he would never touch a woman, let alone play dominant with her, against her will.

Then she had broken his nose with her punch. That was the worst part. Charlus had always been good at muggle fighting and was rather proud of it when so many wizards were completely useless without their wands. And this girl had punched him straight in the face. He had not seen it coming, and had a feeling that even if he did, it wouldn't have done him much good. Her aim was very good and she was much stronger than he expected from a girl.

Then Riddle had arrived, seen the blood, and the girl had repeated her accusation and kicked him AGAIN. And he couldn't avoid it AGAIN. And then she had stormed out without a word.

And now she was bowing to him in apology? Gee!

But he had overheard her telling Adele she came from Japan, and he knew that people here were, well, different.

-OK OK apology accepted! Just stop bowing, that's embarrassing.

**CATTLEYA'S POV**

Cat felt relieved. Her parents had always told her not to apologize if she didn't mean it from the bottom of her heart, but what else could she do? The boy had done nothing wrong and yet, she could not help but feeling disgusted by what she had witnessed.

And if he didn't accept her apology, she would have to make it up to him. Again, something her parents had engraved in her. Therefore, she was relieved to hear he was OK, and to see in his eyes that he meant it.

-Good, then let us not discuss the matter anymore.

**CHARLU'S POV**

- So, umm, you're from Japan? He was trying to make the girl feel at ease, but she unnerved him.

- You know, you don't have to pretend that you actually want to talk to me just to break the silence, she answered from behind her book.

Adele laughed. Charlus rolled his eyes. Really, Hook was useless, well she was a nice girl, but had the brains of a squirrel. On the other hand, he did not know how to handle the Mibu girl. She was like a sword with no guard.

And so they remained silent for the rest of the travel. He was extremely uncomfortable with uncomfortable silence but the girl seemed to take no notice of his uneasiness or of Adele's occasional giggles. Please someone shut her up.

Well, the only thing he could do was stare at her. Not that he was not enjoying the sight. He remembered how strong she was and decided she was a sportive. He liked sportive ones, their long legs, their flat stomach… He shook his head, turning his attention back to the girl. She was sitting with her back straight and head high. However, there was nothing arrogant in her attitude, she looked quite relaxed and emitted quite the purposeful, powerful aura. He was fascinated by her glossy, jet black hair that looked so supple and soft to the touch and he wondered how it would feel to put his hand in her loose locks. He was fascinated about everything about her, actually. How she had punched him, her blunt honesty, her strange beauty. He started chewing at his bottom lips, wondering whether she was still innocent.

**CATTLEYAS POV**

_THANK GOD WE'RE HERE_ she thought to herself as the train stopped. She hated the boy's stare, it made her feel dirty. She would have punched him again except for the fact that there was no good reason to do so and that would lend her in trouble. She made a quick escape.

**TOM'S POV**

Toms' attention was far from being fixed on the sorting. He had done his duty as Head Boy and was now enjoying dinner, still smirking at the look on his comrade's face as he had told them about his summer. About his father. He had showed them the ring.

Now, he didn't want everyone to know, just those 4 on whom he had most influence. That would scare them. Yes, let them know what he could do to them if they…angered him. Not that they did not know of course. They knew he had opened the Chamber. They _had _suffered his displeasure on several occasions, but the killing curse was something else.

Now, all the first years were sorted, but Headmaster Dippet rose and addressed them in this way.

"Well, now that our precious first years have been sorted, let me introduce you another new student. She comes from Japan and will be in 7th year. Please, give her a warm welcome once she is sorted." And he nodded towards the Hat.

He surveyed her as she walked to the Hat, wondering lazily whether he would give her a lesson or not. Honestly, he had pretty much forgotten about what had happened in the train already and had better things to do. He bent over to his faithful friends and told them "Gryffondor", then resumed his watching. The second the Hat touched her hair, it shouted "Gryffondor" and Tom continued looking at her. He did not need to look at them, he knew they were, once again, staring at him in awe, wondering how he knew this. That was too easy, really, he told himself, almost wishing for a bit of challenge.


	4. Experimentations

**CATTLEYA'S POV**

Cat followed the prefect into her dorms and closed the door behind her. Then she heard the giggles. Was it fashionable or something to laugh like that? She found it a little disturbing, but all the same she turned to face the girls.

- Hey, one of them called, a curious expression on her face, is it true that you broke Charlus Potter's nose?

Oh, yeah. She had forgotten his name. *Smacks herself mentally for her bad memory with names*

-Actually, I'd rather not talk about it… She told them her honest feelings, as she usually did.

-So it IS true!

More giggling ensued. Cat felt uncertain. She was already uneasy at the idea of sharing her bedroom – she was a very social person but she also enjoyed the moments she could spend on her own, and during which she was left face-to-face with herself, enjoying the soothing effect peaceful silence always had on her. It only made things worse to know that she might not get along so well with the girls she shared it with. As she made her way back from the bathroom however, one of the girls was waiting for her.

-Please, do not take them seriously. They can be a bit childish at times, but they mean no harm. My name is Minerva by the way. Minerva Mcgonagall.

The girl smiled, her eyes steadily holding Cat's gaze.

Cat looked into the girl's serious but strong and honest face and felt something pass between them. She had always been alone at home. There were few children of her own age amongst the Mibu, and since the members of the clan always kept to themselves, scarcely allowing her in the "outside world", she had never really had any comrades. She had been taught by different masters who also belonged to the clan. She admired them and enjoyed their company, but she had always been alone during the lessons and had spent the rest of her time either with her parents or studying on her own. She really loved her clan, but without realizing it, she had sorely missed growing up with friends her own age.

-My name is… Cattleya Mibu, she said, holding out her hand. Professor Dumbledore had advised her to introduce herself that way.

The girl took it and they came back to the room.

Term was starting today. Cat was having breakfast with Minerva when she was handed out her timetable. She had chosen Potions, DADA, Transfiguration just for the comfort of Dumbledore's presence, and Charms. Of course, very few students only took four subjects, but she did not care much. The more free time she had, the better it was, for it would allow her to learn more upon this world that still was completely alien to her.

She had spent her summer "catching up" and hadn't learned much about the country, its history and traditions. She hadn't chosen History of Magic or Muggles studies, though, because when it came to pure knowledge and not practice, she preferred finding things on her own and take her time to read good books that dealt with the subject. She liked to be active in everything she did, and sitting on a chair, doing nothing for two hours but passively listening to a lecture was something she found utterly inefficient. When she had asked Minerva how students managed to stay awake during these lessons, her new friend had told her that they actually didn't, and when Cat had wondered why they went on with the subject when it wasn't compulsory, she had simply shrugged her shoulders, grimacing slightly.

On Mondays, she had double Potions in the morning, a free period, then double Transfiguration in the afternoon. On Tuesdays, double Charms, free period, then double DADA. Wednesdays were the same as Mondays and Thursdays the same as Tuesdays. She had Fridays free.

-_No way, _she heard one of her dorm mates complain. Why do we have our most important subjects with stinky Slytherin? It's only Charms where we are with Ravenclaw…

-Well, at least, we get to see Riddle 6 hours a week, her friend consoled her.

And they both giggled again. Cat thought she was starting to get used to it.

-Cattleya, are you coming? Minerva called. We'll be late for Potions.

Cat followed her friend to the dungeon where they were to have their first lesson. They were the firsts to arrive, and she opened the door only to be greeted by an enormous wizard that exclaimed at the sight of her in a merry, booming voice:

-But you must be _the_ Miss Mibu Dumbledore has been telling me about! Do come in, my dear girl!

**TOM's POV**

Tom was lazily listening to his Professor, faking an expression of utmost interest. Today they were going to learn how to make the only antidote known to have an effect on the Great Tarantula venom. As if he would ever need it.

-Well then everyone let's get started!

Tom shot a look at his partner. He had chosen to be with Malefoy, the only one of the lot who actually had _some_ brains. Avery, Nott and Dolohov were completely useless, except for their ability to follow the most basic orders. Well, even _that_ was sometimes beyond them, and they had almost been caught executing his plans a certain number of times. But they made it up with their fierce hatred of mudbloods and their eagerness to… have a little fun with them. Malefoy understood situations quicker and was a tad more subtle in his ways, but he simply wasn't in Tom's league. Not that anyone was, he smirked to himself, unconsciously holding his chin a little higher. He could only count on himself for the most subtle tasks. He had looked for the Chamber on his own, he remembered, never telling the four of them _who_ he was and what he was up to until the moment he was sure to have found its' entrance in his 5th year. Only then had he told them what he was planning to do once he got into it and included them in his schemes.

Class was almost finished when Slughorn, who liked to check on students, arrived to his cauldron.

-Tom, m'boy! You're doing just as fine as usual! Haha, glad to have my best student back!

-Thank you, sir. Tom slightly bowed his head in a modest fashion. For all his foolishness, the man was a great wizard, he would give him that. Knowing that he had him wrapped around his little finger, just like the rest of the staff, enthralled him. Except for Dumbledore. There was always the old fool, smiling and making stupid jokes that people only laughed at to be polite… Thinking about him made Tom so angry…

He abruptly snapped of his musings upon hearing his name again.

-Why, now, Tom, you certainly seem to be having competition! Miss Mibu, Miss Mcgonagall, to what do we owe this pleasantly blue colour?

Mcgonagall was obviously waiting for her partner to speak, but the girl remained concentrated on her cauldron and so she answered.

- Well, we thought we could put the fire at a much higher temperature than what was written….

-My dear girl, I follow your reasoning, of course a higher temperature would allow the ingredients to blend in more completely, but then Salamander's blood evaporates and it is crucial to the potion! It already has been tempted, and with disastrous effects!

This time, Mcgonagall was at a loss for an answer. Not looking up from the cauldron came her partner's serene voice.

- Professor Dumbledore wrote a paper about how dragon blood, put at such a high temperature, might actually acts the same way as Salamander's doe as at a much lower one. I read it this summer. So I merely switched the two.

-Well, Dumbledore did write that, Slughorn muttered. But you see, it hasn't been tested yet…

-Well, there's a first time to everything.

And with that the girl walked over to the Professor's desk and seized the small bottle labeled "G.T. Venom" that was supposed to serve as a test to check whether they had correctly brewed their potion. She opened it and took a few sips. The class gasped and Tom straightened in his chair, vaguely excited by the possibility of witnessing the horribly painful death this venom was supposed to bring, but not letting it show.

-Miss Mibu! Slughorn cried in despair. Here, drink this, I brewed it myself… he hurried over to his potions kit, hastily took out a vial filled with a dark blue liquid and tried to force it on the girl. But she was already walking back to her own desk. She conjured up a small glass, put it in the cauldron and drank. The class was dead silent. Seconds passed when -

RIIIIIIING

Everyone jumped upon hearing the bell, but no one made a move: they all had their eyes fixed on the new girl, expecting her to start convulsing anytime now. However, it looked like they wouldn't be graced with such an interesting spectacle.

-All that drama for _nothing_, Tom heard Avery tell Nott under his breath as they were leaving the classroom, a clearly disappointed look on his face.

Tom followed, but his eyes were on the girl. So, either she was brilliant and daring, which would make her… interesting enough, or she had just done this for the show. The fact that she was a Gryffondor, who were famous for their need to do everything that was in their power to attract attention, as well as her loud and rash behavior on the train, made him incline to believe that it was more the second than the first of his hypothesis. But it couldn't hurt to keep an eye on her whenever he could and to ask his cronies to gather information on her. Having decided that, he hurried over to his next lesson, sparing the girl no second thought.

**CATTLEYA's POV**

-Wait! Hey! Cat, _wait_!

She froze upon hearing the nickname. None, not even Keikoku, had addressed her like that since she had left her family. It was always her father who had called her that, his little Cat…

-That was so dangerous! Why did you do it? For show or something?

-For show? She frowned, not understanding. I just thought it was the quickest way to find out.

-Really, what if you'd been wrong? Minerva sounded angry, but Cat could see the concern in her now grim face.

-Minerva, it was obvious that Slughorn already had a brewed antidote and had it with him. If mine hadn't worked, I would only have had to drink his, she tried to reassure the other girl.

Minerva didn't lose her composure:

-What if your antidote had _worsened _the poison, or even _altered_ it to the point that the regular antidote wouldn't have had any effects on it?

-Minerva, that's what potions masters do for a living. They experiment. Trust me, I know what I'm doing… Do you have class now? Cat added hastily, not wanting her friend to ask what she meant by "I know what I'm doing". How could she tell her that she had already successfully experimented on herself a certain number of times? Her clan was specialized in healing techniques and potions, and she had started learning very early. As a result, she knew all of them by heart before she was 12. She had been allowed to assist Akari-san then, who was in charge of the medical lab, in her researches and experimentations.

-Yeah, Arithmancy… Where are you going? Minerva sighed, knowing a lost cause when she saw one. She could tell Cat was hiding something, but they weren't close enough for her to ask.

-Library. Let's meet for lunch ok?

-Sure. Don't get lost in the corridors! She warned Cat before leaving.

Oooops. That was easier said than done. She took corridor after corridor, yet only seemed to lose herself deeper into the castle. She had always had a crappy sense of orientation, just like her mother.

*Nooooooo, why are the genes showing up like that? Why isn't possible to just be given a piece of paper once you are born and write every quality you would like to have during your life? Raaaaaaaaaa this is getting so FRUSTRATING* she thought, kicking a stone without real aim.

-Careful now, Mibu. You might hurt someone, came an amused voice from behind her, making her jump.

There stood a blond-haired boy she had seen this morning in class. She was quite fascinated by him: she had never met anyone with such light hair in her world. But she hadn't gotten his name.

-Hello, she beamed. Cattleya Mibu. She held out her hand to him as she had been told to do.

-I know that already. And I don't shake hands with _filthy_ Gryffondors, he answered, looking disgusted.

-Ah ok! Then do you know where the library is?

Cat wasn't really offended. She thought it was slightly rude from the boy, but she had to concede that she understood his feeling. She personally found this tradition a little bit unhygienic too: after all, you didn't know the person or what they had been doing with their hands, or whether they had recently washed them at all… She found bowing a much cleaner way do things. But a voice interrupted her thoughts on the matter.

-Looking for the library? I can take you there if you want.

She jumped yet AGAIN and, thinking that she really needed to work on it, turned around to recognize the guy she had seen during her journey to Hogwarts and whose nose she had broken. What was his name again? She was sure it ended with "us".

-Umm I wouldn't mean to trouble you…

The boy shrugged:

-It's on my way to lunch, so no trouble really.

She eyed him suspiciously after the train incident. Why was he offering her his help after what had happened then? There was not a hint of malice in his eyes however, and it was obvious that he was not planning to corner her for punching and kicking him. She felt a pang in her stomach, remembering how much she hated those who judged her brother on a first impression, automatically thinking his red eyes and quiet behavior made him a freak and not giving him the slightest chance to try and fit in. She had branded him as a pervert in her memory, but then maybe she too was mistaken. And so, she decided to follow him.

-OK then! Goodbye, she beamed to the blond, bending her back the way she had been taught to when taking your leave from a person you did not know.

**MALEFOY'S POV**

Abraxas Malefoy was walking from his Arithmancy class. He hated the stupid subject, but his father had forced him to go on with it for a N.E.W.T. Leaving class in a foul mood, he had just spotted the girl that had put up such a show with her antidote during Potions. He remembered how Riddle had quietly asked him to keep tabs on her when possible after they had left class. He smirked.

-Careful, now, Mibu. You might hurt someone, he called behind her as she kicked a stone.

He saw her jump at his words, bringing a hand to her heart.

-Hello, she beamed nonetheless. Cattleya Mibu, she introduced herself with a smile and holding out her hand.

Yeah, as if he were going to take it.

- I know that already. And I don't shake hands with _filthy_ Gryffondors, he said smugly, waiting for the offended, possibly angry look that was _bound_ to cross her features.

But to his astonishment, her smile did not even falter:

-Ah ok! She replied, oblivious of the insult. Then do you know where the library is?

He was unsure as how to reply. Never in Hogwarts' history had he heard of a Gryffondor who wouldn't have roared at his rudeness. Of course, not _all_ of them would jump at his throat, but her beaming was a bit much. He narrowed his eyes, trying to discern sarcasm behind her smile, but found none.

That was when Potter had interrupted their conversation and offered to take her there. At first, she had eyed him with suspicion, but then her smile was back again. Then she had turned back to Malefoy, her eyes locking with his, and slightly bent her back while saying goodbye, leaving him to ponder on her strange behavior.

**CHARLUS'POV  
**

- Hey, you know what, I was just thinking, it's really nice of you to take me there when you obviously didn't need to. Maybe I misjudged you on the train. I'll give you a second chance, OK?

She held out her hand and he took it, slightly confused by her antics. He had seen her shout something about frustration and kick a rock aimlessly. That's when he had seen Malefoy talk to her. Well, that could not bode well for the girl. He had heard her ask for the library, and knowing that Malefoy would point to the exact opposite direction, he had offered to take her there. She had seemed quite moved by that, and, frankly, he didn't understand why. And now, she was babbling something about second chances. WTF?

-And I apologize for hitting you, she went on.

- Yeah, you already did that on the train, he replied vaguely.

-But this time I really am sorry!

At that, he lowered his eyes to meet hers. What kind of girl would apologize to you, then tell you she didn't mean it and apologize again days later, sincerely this time? Apologies were all about pretence, who cared whether she really felt sorry? She was looking back at him and she smiled the most honest smile he had ever seen, with actual remorse in her eyes. Remembering the way he had thought about her in the train, he felt bad. And then, what had happened during Potions came back to his mind.

-Hey, why did you do have to put a show with the antidote this morning?

He saw her eyes widen at the question.

- Why does everyone keep asking me the question? I did it because I believed Professor Dumbledore was right about his assumptions about Dragon blood.

-Yeah, _assumptions _that had not been _proved_ right!

-Well, I had faith in them, she answered serenely, looking straight in front of her. Plus, someone had to prove them right, and that was a good occasion.

-Are you kidding me? It's not a 17 years old girl's role to do the guinea pig part… his voice trailed off, seeing the look in her eyes.

-My _role_? Because it actually is _someone's_ role to sacrifice themselves for magic? Why would my life be more important than anyone else's? Just because I'm younger? She didn't sound angry, just confused.

She couldn't be serious, could she? But then, she had stopped in her tracks and her face was nothing if not dead serious. He rolled his eyes. God, did the girl take every single thing that came out of people's mouth seriously or what? He actually hadn't thought about what he was saying, he just wanted to point out how dangerous her behavior had been, and there she was, putting up the argument... Of course, her reasoning made sense, but it made him feel uneasy.

-Look, here's the library… I'm going to have lunch then… See you around.

-Huh? What time is it?

-12:30…

-CRAP! I was supposed to meet Minerva at 12h15 in the Hall! I can't believe I got lost for TWO whole hours! And I can't even remember any place I've seen. Mum if you hear this, CURSE YOUR LOUSY ORIENTATION SENSE THAT YOU FORCED UPON ME WHEN I WAS BORN! Anyways, sorry, got to go. Bye!

Charlus found himself, once more, completely at a loss. What was that about her mother and orientation sense? He watched in awe as she sped with rare velocity (he would give her that) in the completely wrong direction, then stopped, then raced back to him. She clasped her hands together in front of her face.

-Maybe you could take me there? The plea was obvious in her eyes.

His rolled his, grasped the girl by her arm, and made his way to the Great Hall. Both remained silent, and she didn't seem to mind, just like in the train. Well, somehow, this time he didn't mind either. He knew it probably had nothing to do with him, she was just weird that way.

-Thanks! She beamed when they arrived. I can't remember your name and you sometimes say really stupid things, but you're actually a nice person! I owe you one.

And with that, she went to seat next to McGonagall.

_OMG she's completely nuts. _Shaking his head_,_ he gave her one last thought before looking for his friends.


End file.
